Jack Series
by Captain Alfie
Summary: An exploration of just how damned common the name Jack is in children's stories, songs and general English-speaking culture though Captain Jack Harkness himself. Basically a load of fics with some kind of 'Jack' prompt. TW Series 1&2. Part 4 added 5/11/11
1. The House That Jack Built

Original Post Date: July 2011 (Posted to August 2011)  
>Rating: PG-15<br>Characters/Pairings: Jack, mentions of Ianto, Myfanwy, Owen, Gwen, Rhys, Susie, Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Owen, Gwen/Rhys  
>Warnings: All mentions canon-compliant... I think one or two actual swear and a couple of brief mentions of sex (nothing explicit, just that it happened).<br>Notes: The first in my 'Jack' series, an exploration of just how damned common the name Jack is in children's stories, songs and general English-speaking culture though Captain Jack Harkness himself.  
>Summary: "He had told Ianto all of this once, in one of his thoughtful and reflective moods. Ianto had chuckled, and what had he called it? Oh yes… the house that Jack built."<strong><strong>

****I am making no money from this, all characters and ideas belong to their original creators, no harm intended.****

**THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT**

Jack Harkness thought that the Torchwood hub was beautiful. It wasn't to everyone's taste, but by God it was to his. From the glass walls of the now better utilised old boardroom (a wonderful idea when they had developed it however long ago, but the fingerprints on the glass had got annoying to make than just Ianto) to the cells and Ianto's beloved archives, this was Jack's domain.

Well, besides the archives. He didn't understand them.

Thinking back, Jack had had a hand in most of it, too. Of course there had been the 'your ideas don't count, freelancer' rebuffs back in the old days, but Jack was sure they had used ideas that they had conveniently forgotten were his anyway. And since Torchwood Three had become his responsibility (back when it could legitimately be called Torchwood Three: the counting had become slightly skewed over time) Jack had not wasted time putting his own stamp on the place.

He had told Ianto all of this once, in one of his thoughtful and reflective moods. Ianto had chuckled, and what had he called it? Oh yes… the house that Jack built.

The context of the phrase had puzzled him for a moment, but in over one hundred years of living on Earth, he had heard the rhyme before.

_This is the house that Jack built._

The Hub: home to Torchwood Three and, to all extents and purposes, Captain Jack Harkness. Ultra-modern but seeped in history: just the way Jack liked it.

_This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

Ianto had taken to buying coffee in bulk; God knew they got through enough of it. The different coloured packets had been neatly lines up next to the coffee machine, undoubtedly in some system understood only by the Welshman.

_This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

The system had worked – various types of coffee were used and replaced as necessary – and for a while there were no more urgent rushes to the nearest shops for that specific type of coffee that Ianto needed _now_. That was, until they came in one morning to find the packets knocked all over the place, holes chewed in them and a scattering of coffee beans on the floor. Lucky for the rat, it got away with it that time.

_This is the cat that chased the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

From then on Ianto had made sure to leave dark chocolate squares near the coffee machine overnight. When the attacks on the coffee stopped, Myfanwy got an extra bar of expensive dark chocolate. She was Torchwood's equivalent of a cat, and she hadn't seemed to mind the rat flavoured addition to her diet.

_This is the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

She had, however, never got on with Janet. When they had first brought the Weevil in, Myfanwy had screeched and cowered. After that they had made a greater effort to keep the pteredacton out of the cells.

_This is the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

Owen had thought that he could fight a weevil. Owen was an idiot. But since he had died and become King of the Weevils, he had had an unnerving understanding with Janet. And probably more power over her than any of them knew.

_This is the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

Gwen should have tried harder to hide the fact that she had been shagging Owen, if only for poor Tosh's sake. It had been painful to watch and Jack had found that for all the chemistry he had with Gwen, he wasn't jealous of Owen.

_This is the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

For all his teasing, and despite the knowledge of the other man's lack of trust in him, Jack had a great deal of respect for Rhys Williams. The poor bloke had put up with so much; he deserved Gwen a hell of a lot more than Jack did.

_This is the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

It was far from the word of God, but Suzie had always had something to say to make the others trust and follow her. There was a reason why she had become second in command; namely that. But Gwen had well and truly beaten her to that Torchwood paycheck and the job which had (in the end) cemented Gwen's relationship with her boyfriend. Rhys would never know how much Torchwood money went into their wedding.

_This is the cock that crowed in the morn, that waked the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

Jack had cocked up. He had insisted on waking Suzie from the dead, and it had almost killed Gwen. He knew that the team weren't best pleased, but at least Gwen was alright now. They wouldn't be using that particular alien equipment again any time soon.

_This is the farmer, sowing his corn that kept the cock that crowed in the morn, that waked the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat, that chased the rat, that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built._

Ianto Jones kept Jack sane. His beautiful coffee was Jack's lifeline and Torchwood Three ran so much smoother under the care and attention of the young Welshman. But it was more than that… with every glace, every touch, every fuck, Jack gave a little more of himself to Ianto, and cared a little more for him in return. And over time, those littles had added up to rather a lot.


	2. Jack the Knave 1: Jack of Hearts

Original Post Date: July 2011 (posted to September 2011)  
>Rating: PG<br>Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Ianto/Lisa  
>Warnings: Semi-spoilers for Cyberwoman and The Dead Line.<p>

Notes: Second in the 'Jack' series. First in a mini sub-series of four about Jack's relationship with each member of the team.

Summary: "_When he first met Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones' heart belonged to Lisa._ The changes in who Ianto Jones' heart belonged to."

****I am making no money from this, all characters and ideas belong to their original creators, no harm intended.****

**JACK OF HEARTS**

When they first met, Captain Jack Harkness captured Ianto Jones' interest. Here was a man who could be useful: give him a job, an income, help for Lisa.

_When he first met Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones' heart belonged to Lisa._

After the 'Cyberwoman incident' (which it was never verbally referred to as; actually, it was never verbally referred to at all), Captain Jack Harkness captured Ianto Jones' emotions. All his hate was directed towards the man whose kiss and breath had brought him back from the brink just as easily as he had taken Lisa from him.

_When he returned to Torchwood after his suspension, Ianto Jones' wounded heart belonged to himself._

As the young Welshman desperately tried to prove his loyalty and trust to Torchwood, Captain Jack Harkness captured Ianto Jones' soul. His last connection to the outside world had died with Lisa, and, like the others, Torchwood had become his entire life. Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness.

_When he began to put all of his effort into protecting his world from the rift, Ianto Jones' heart belonged to Wales._

After an awkward re-start after the captain's return, a first date (finally) and the deaths of two colleagues, Captain Jack Harkness captured Ianto Jones' heart. Ianto hadn't let it go willingly, and Jack hadn't been so sure that he had wanted it, but it didn't take him long to realise that he really did.

_When Jack woke from his coma and promised that Ianto was more than a blip in time to him, Ianto Jones' heart belonged to Captain Jack Harkness._

_And, for now, the heart of Captain Jack Harkness belonged to Ianto Jones._


	3. Jack the Knave 2: Jack of Clubs

Original Post Date: July 2011 (posted to October 2011)  
>Rating: PG<br>Characters/Pairings: Jack, Owen  
>Warnings: None<p>

Notes: Third in the 'Jack' series. Second in a mini sub-series of four about Jack's relationship with each member of the team.

Summary: "_One of the first things Jack had done with Owen Harper after he had hired the young doctor was to go out to a night club with him._ A reflection on Jack's relationship with Owen."

****I am making no money from this, all characters and ideas belong to their original creators, no harm intended.****

**JACK OF CLUBS**

One of the first things Jack had done with Owen Harper after he had hired the young doctor was to go out to a night club with him. Jack couldn't remember whose idea it had been (_probably Owen's_; _he wanted to drink to forget the pain_) or why the other had agreed (_probably because Jack had felt like going out and forgetting the world for a few hours_), but that's what they had done. Gone to a seedy Cardiff club and got themselves pissed.

Scrap that. Jack had drunk a couple of whiskies (_as he did when he was feeling old fashioned or nostalgic, otherwise he just drank water_) and watched Owen get himself pissed.

It had been strangely companionable: two men silently together at the bar, drinking to get away from memories and loss and love and the responsibility that was Torchwood.

There had been times when Jack had wanted to kill Owen (_and vice versa he was sure_, _but later Owen would learn that that would be useless_) but they kept that silent comradeship against the ills the world had done them, always.

One of the first things Jack had done with Owen Harper after he had hired the young doctor was to go out to a night club with him


	4. Jack the Knave 3: Jack of Spades

Original Post Date: August 2011 (Posted to October 2011)  
>Rating: U  G  
>CharactersPairings: Jack, Toshiko (Gwen, Owen, Ianto mentioned)  
>Warnings: None.<br>Notes: The fourth in my 'Jack' series, an exploration of just how damned common the name Jack is in children's stories, songs and general English-speaking culture though Captain Jack Harkness himself. Third in a mini sub-series of four about Jack's relationship with each member of the team.

Summary: "In the time Jack gave Toshiko to recover from her UNIT imprisonment, the Captain taught his newest recruit to play cards."

****I am making no money from this, all characters and ideas belong to their original creators, no harm intended.****

**JACK OF SPADES**

_The Spades count for more, that suit's the highest in this game…_

In the time Jack gave Toshiko to recover from her UNIT imprisonment, the Captain taught his newest recruit to play cards.

_You put either one higher or one lower, then you can turn over the next one on your pile…_

She learned quickly – it was all logic and maths, after all – and it wasn't long before she could beat Jack easily at most of the games he'd taught her.

_Yeah, you want to try and make twenty one…_

The cards they played with were odd, Tosh had always thought. The designs were non-standard, definitely. Taking a moment outside of the logic of the game, Tosh had studied the wonderful portraits which served as Knave, Queen, King and Joker. She knew Jack had seen her do so, but he said nothing.

It had lead her – lying awake at night, thinking, as she was prone to do – to consider what the team's positions would be in a pack of cards.

Owen, the King. _King of the Weevils._

Gwen, the Queen. _If any of them held court, it was Gwen._

Ianto, the Joker. _The unexpected one._

It was for herself and Jack that Tosh had become stuck.

It shouldn't have mattered, but once she'd started on something, she had to finish it. The next morning, Jack himself gave Toshiko the answer.

"_Toshiko Sato, computer Ace," _and Jack, the Knave. Cheeky, charming and well… no one but Jack could claim to be a Jack.


End file.
